Spinach

[*Lavender*]

Hello!

I was wondering if anyone could recommend which type of spinach to grow?

I don't eat much of it, but I do like the baby leaves in salads & sandwiches, but also sometimes use it when making a veggie curry! I'm guessing some kind of summer variety for the baby leaves (or some other kind of salad greens instead?), but I'd also like something for harvesting during the winter when not much else is available!

Any suggestions please?

*Lavender*

[bazzaboy]

I've just been out in the garden with a torch (!) because I happened to notice today that some spinach in unprotected pots was looking surprisingly perky given the cold temps this winter (-4C several times and a dusting of more snow and frost yesterday) but I wasn't sure which variety it was..... And sure enough all the live stuff wasn't true spinach at all but Spinach Beet ("Perpetual Spinach" living up to its name). I'm sure spinach fans (I'm not one really) would insist the real stuff tastes better (it certainly tends to look a bit different, having smaller finer leaves and usually a darker green) but for regular use, fast re-growth in Summer, and survival through Winter, it's difficult to beat the imposter. The other two that I grow in more reasonable conditions are Unwins' Medania and Suttons' Mikado F1. Some photos to demo: the general one was taken this morning and gives an idea of fairly chilly conditions (though it has been considerably worse through Jan), and the two spinach pix I've just taken - in pots and unprotected - but it still struggles along and could probably just about serve a purpose with careful picking.... I'm afraid the two posh ones, M & M, gave up the ghost long ago... bb

[Jeanied]

Spinach beet is much hardier and a little tougher in the leaf, for eating purposes. It is wise to take off the thicker midrib and cook separately. Summer spinach is not hardy and is better if you want to eat it raw. Mind you I have shoved new spinach beet or chard leaves in my salads before now!
Love the photos bazzaboy! Some serious coldframes going on there and the conservatory looks like a fab work area for a veggie grower.

[bazzaboy]

Duh, you trying to get me sectioned Jeanied...? OK, have just nipped outside again with torch to take photos of chard which grows under bell cloches (don't think the neighbours saw me) but it hasn't survived that well this year, usually does better... Pic below of bell cloches last month probably suggests why (and though the net on the RHS might suggest I play ice hockey that's unfortunately not true, it's a leftover from growing caulis) But yes - not to totally hijack Lavender's original question - chard is a possible alternative to Winter spinach beet (the coloured Bright Lights version seems to have suffered most this year, it's the white chard that's survived).

The "serious" coldframes (empty at pres, guess the spinach might have liked it in there...) are actually those very cheap jobs available in all the garden centres, badly designed, a pain to assemble and very light and flimsy... BUT by securing them very firmly with some stakes and elastic bungee clips they do quite a good job (without that they'd collapse or blow away and self-destruct). As well as propping the lids open as it gets warmer you can slide them completely off in the Summer which is useful.

And yes, the conservatory is indeed currently awash with sheltering wimpy plants that can't take frost plus Mr T's tatties chitting, onion sets, fruit stuff that wouldn't appreciate life in the raw just now and would-be crops of 2010 that can't quite decide whether to hang on or give up... (I know the feeling!)

Uh-oh, men arriving in white coats..... Nite. bb.

[Two_Sheds]

One usually recommends chard (leaf beet) over spinach, as it's easier and just as useful.

I have millions of self sown seedlings on my plot right now, so I'll be eating it forever

[Alison]

I have spinach beet which was planted out last spring on the open plot which is still going great guns and was looking really healthy when I harvested some yesterday (interestingly enough mine has never flowered so I won't have any self sown, unlike the rhubarb chard which was next to it which all bolted and then died in the snow. It is however, as already said, somewhat tougher than true spinach. I will b sowing some Medania next month for an early summer crop and again in late summer for the autumn. Don't bother in the summer as it just bolts and isn't worth the bother.

[*Lavender*]

Thanks everyone. I was planning on growing some rainbow chard as well, as it looks so pretty! What does it taste like though - similar to spinach or completely different?!

[Two_Sheds]

It tastes fairly much like spinach. Pretty bland really, but it goes well in a curry

[Bigmallly]

Thanks everyone. I was planning on growing some rainbow chard as well, as it looks so pretty! What does it taste like though - similar to spinach or completely different?!

Just called into Netto as I was passing...... & picked up a pkt of Spinach Beet (Perpetual Spinach). Says it can be used as a substitute for Spinach & also has excellent bolt resistance during hot weather. I don't know how they make their profit @ 19p per pkt.

[Jeanied]

Once you have your perpetual spinach growing, you will see how it lives up to its name! As two sheds has posted, if you let it go to seed, you will have it on your plots forever. I last grew Bright lights from the packet about 10 years ago - every spring a new batch of seedlings pop up! You can eat the seedlings or grow them on. I am going to sow some fresh ones, mainly because I want to get the full range of colours again - at the moment I mostly have yellow and orange stemmed chard coming up.
I can see how they can make it so cheap BM as it seeds so easily and profusely! And the seed has a long shelf life.

[solway cropper]

I'm a big boy now and I don't have to eat spinach if I don't want to

[chris]

For some reason, I used to hate spinach - I'd never tried it though (apart, probably from some canned cr@p).

Couple years ago, I had fresh spinach, right from the ground - ever since then it's one of the main leaves in all salads we have

I'm growing some this year too - not sure what variety is it, I can't be bothered to go into the other room - it's cold in there, and toasty in here

[Bigmallly]

I can see how they can make it so cheap BM as it seeds so easily and profusely! And the seed has a long shelf life.

Thanks Jeanied, All of their seeds are 19p per pkt not just Spinach.

[Jeanied]

* scrabbles in the directory for my nearest Netto!